Is -102dB Signal-to-Noise ratio good for condenser recording?

[Gematria7]

Hello fallas,

I have an M-Audio Fast Track MKII USB interface, which has these specifications for the microphone input:
max input level -1.8dBu, min. gain
signal to noise ratio -102dB, A-weighted, min. gain
dynamic range 102dB, A-weighted, min. gain
THD + N 0.003% (-90 dB) @ 1kHz, -1dBFS, min. gain
frequency response 20Hz to 20kHz, -0.3 / +0.1dB, min. gain
gain range 48 dB
input impedance 6K Ohms (balanced)
crosstalk < -105dB, 1kHz, channel-to-channel
phantom power +48V, 10mA max

Is the SNR good enough for recording with a condenser microphone for vocals (singing)? I plan on getting the Audio Technica AT2020 Condenser microphone.

 

[Massive Master]

As your vocals *MIGHT* have a dynamic range of 20 or maybe 25dB (at the most I'd imagine), I'd think a 102dB dynamic range would be more than enough.

I'm sure the noise floor of the room will be half that on its own.

 

[mixsit]

This could be a good exercise. Let's see if I get this about right (or not.

From AT's 2020 spec sheet..

MAXIMUM INPUT SOUND LEVEL
144 dB SPL, 1 kHz at 1% T.H.D.

DYNAMIC RANGE (typical)
124 dB, 1 kHz at Max SPL

SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO
74 dB, 1 kHz at 1 Pa*

If that '1 Pa' is 90 dBspl at the mic, and say a voice fairly close might be in that range, and loud passages extend up into that 100 + max sound level range.
That puts the mics noise floor some 74dB down from your nominal (average) voice levels?
We might guess our room noise hovering somewhere down (or perhaps quite above?) that -74 number?

Now if the above isn't totally whack (I could be way out on a limb here..
and the A/D is set to handle the +144 peak, 102 below that is the converter's noise?

 

[Pahtcub]

I miss big bang theory.

 

[Bobbsy]

The Fast Track Mk II is fine in terms of noise floor/signal to noise.

However, be aware that including the phrase "minimum gain" on the specs makes the figures next to meaningless since it would be a rare microphone indeed that would always have the pre amp gain turned down to minimum.

Things like that...as well as frequency responses that don't include something like "+/- XdB" make me angry. Unless you're really good at interpreting specs they come close to being lies. And, even if you are good at interpreting specs, the lack of consistency from one manufacturer to another makes comparisons difficult.